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Turn Eight Racing Joins The BRSCC Porsche Championship

Former Classic Stock Hatch driver Gavin Johnson and two-time Classic Stock Hatch champion Pip Hammond to race a Porsche 924 with Turn Eight Racing. Making the move from front wheel drive retro hot hatches to the rear wheel drive Porsche, Johnson and Hammond will be sharing the car during the 2016 season of the Porsche Championship.

Johnson started his career racing 4-stroke pro karts before going on to race 2-stroke Formula TKM, securing three podiums in his first three races, including the victory that won him the Novice Gold Cup at Three Sisters in Wigan. More recently he has competed in the Classic Stock Hatch Championship driving a Ford XR2 and Peugeot 205 GTi, scoring championship points in fields of 26 plus cars.

Johnson says: “I’m delighted to be part of Turn Eight Racing! I’m looking forward to driving alongside Pip Hammond under the watchful eye of T8 boss Jess Shanahan. It’ll be great for my development as a driver to share a garage with a two-time champion.

“It’s a season of firsts for me. I’m looking forward to my first competitive races in a RWD car and also to racing at my home track Oulton Park, the racing cannot start soon enough!”
Hammond’s two championship wins came in the 750 Motor Club’s Classic Stock Hatch Championship in 2009 and 2011, since then he’s been racing part seasons, winning 5 of 12 starts over the last two years (2014-15). He is the current class lap record holder at both Croft and Donington Park National.

Hammond says: “There’s a lot for me to be excited about this season and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in. It’s going to be my first season as part of Turn Eight Racing, and switching to RWD with the 924 so there will be challenges ahead but I’m ready for it.

“We’ve tested the car once so far at Donington in the rain, which was a good introduction to rear wheel drive. There is another test planned before the championship kicks off at Snetterton. It should be a lot of fun!”

The team already has support from Compomotive Motorsport Wheels, Humberside Tints and Golf Guide, with a number of other high profile partnerships to be announced shortly along with the car livery.

The team is affiliated with British Touring Car squad Team HARD, as team boss Jess Shanahan explains: “As I handle the marketing and communications for Team HARD, it made sense to bring Turn Eight Racing under that umbrella. This means we can offer the extras such as the power of Team HARD’s Business Hub to all our partners.”

Further announcements to come along with the reveal of the Turn Eight Racing livery for 2016. Jess Shanahan

Jess Shanahan

Notes to EditorsTurn Eight Racing is Gavin Johnson and Pip Hammond, who will be sharing a car in the BRSCC Porsche Championship in 2016. Supported by Turn Eight, Compomotive Motorsport Wheels, Humberside Tints and Golf Guide.